Late afternoon, a crowded mall, and you're rushing to meet an old friend. You deftly and quickly move between customers. You repeat in your head that you can't be late because you don't want to make a bad impression. You pass a shop window, and your eyes 👀 spot your dream dress 👗. You even consider being a little late (after all, it can happen to anyone, right 😝?). You look at its price and everything becomes clear… You quickly take a picture, and your friend is already waving to you from a nearby cafe 🙋.
This story could have ended here. The dress was too expensive after all, and you couldn't find a similar one by typing various word combinations into the search engine. However, image search on your phone 📱 comes to the rescue. Grab your smartphone, turn on data transmission, e.g., mobile internet from Mobile Vikings, and follow the advice from our post 💪. But first things first…
How does image search work on a phone?
Image search is based on algorithms similar to those used for keyword input. Google robots scan all graphics and assign them to appropriate categories 🤖. Their thumbnails are then sent to special servers. The algorithm's task is to compare this image with others and provide results similar to the query.
How do robots “know” what's in the image 🤔? The key to success is properly describing the image file. The size of the graphic and its high quality are also very important for the search engine. Google Lens and other applications use the mechanism described above.
How to use image search on your phone?
Does the feature seem interesting, but you're not sure how it could help you in your daily online activities 🧐? We're here with a handful of inspirations that will make many situations easier for you.
Applications of image search:
- Identification of plants, animals, everyday objects, or anything else that comes to mind.
- Price comparison for a product in different stores. Recommended saving apps are also helpful.
- Finding tourist spots, shops, and other service establishments.
In a group chat, a friend sent an inspiration for a beautiful and practically furnished kitchen. You'd like to find the furniture manufacturer and wonder how to check if the photo is from the internet? Image search will help you with that too!
Image search in Google
To search for your dream dress 👗 (or other beautiful things), you can use the popular Google search engine. It's very simple, and you'll quickly find what you need 🤩. You'll find a step-by-step guide below, let's get started!
How to search by image in Google?
- On an Android phone (or tablet), open www.images.google.com.
- Click the colorful camera icon next to the search field.
- Select an image from your gallery.
- That's it! The search engine will now suggest similar photos, e.g., display offers from various stores. And you can choose a product at an attractive price!
Image search in shopping apps
Many shopping platforms offer image search in their menu. You'll find this feature in, among others: Ceneo, Allegro, AliExpress, and Amazon. You can therefore find your dream product (e.g., the dress from the display 😄) in a few seconds. The algorithms of shopping portals consider the first photo from a sales offer and will suggest a similar item based on it.
Sounds appealing 🤩? We've written instructions for you based on the Allegro shopping app. Other mentioned stores work similarly. For Allegro, you have 2 search options: using an existing photo from your gallery or taking a picture through the portal's app.
How to search by image in Allegro?
- Turn on the Allegro app and log in.
- Click the camera icon located in the search field.
- In this step, you have 2 options. If you want to use an existing photo, click the photo gallery icon. If you prefer to photograph an item, select the camera icon and take a picture.
- Confirm with the Done button.
- Review the list of offers prepared based on image search.
Thanks to this feature, you'll find many products from categories: health, beauty, supermarket, home, garden, fashion, sports, tourism, automotive. Remember, however, that the presented results depend on the quality of photos included in offers and photos used for searching.
Best image search app on phone
You can also conduct your searches using a dedicated app. We wouldn't be ourselves if we only introduced the topic and left you without a comprehensive answer 🙃. We've prepared tips to help you navigate the world of Google graphics. Take a look at the most popular (and very highly rated: 4.6 out of 5 stars) image search app for phones.
Google Lens for Android
With Google Lens, you can quickly and easily search for various information using your smartphone's camera or photos from your gallery 📱. Google Lens will translate displayed words for you, copy sentences, and save business cards. With the app's help, you'll identify animals and plants 🌿. During your travels, you'll certainly appreciate the recognition of tourist spots and shops. Online shopping will be easier thanks to searching for similar products on websites. Also, pay attention to the barcode and QR code scanning function.
The Google Lens app is available in the Play Store, so it's perfectly suited for Android. And what about the owners of apples, i.e., iOS 🍎? We have a solution for you too 💪!
Google Lens for iOS
In this case, Google Lens is available from your camera, Google search, and photos in your gallery. Download the latest version of the Google app, and you'll find all features on your smartphone 🤩. How to do it most simply? Open the Camera app and click the Google Lens icon located right next to the microphone. At this point, Google will ask for access to your iPhone's camera. Confirm and scan what you want. After a few seconds, you'll get information about the photographed object, e.g., the name of a plant or a list of similar dresses in different stores.
You'll also find the Google Lens feature in another popular iOS app. We're talking about the Google Photos app. You can use it for image search using a photo from your gallery. Just open the image and select the Google Lens icon. The app will then display a description of the item, similar photos, and other information.
How Google Lens works on a phone?
You'll find the app in the Play Store, and after installing it, all its features will appear before your eyes 🥳. Sounds simple? Because that's exactly how it works! You don't need to create an account or enter your data, and the whole process will take you a few seconds 💪.
How to take a photo with Google Lens?
- Open the app.
- Click the camera icon.
- Point your phone's lens to the appropriate spot.
- Press the shutter button.
- Done! Now the app will display similar images for you.
You can use the displayed results to find a similar item or identify it. The application will also show sales offers and information on the searched topic.
Image search is a very useful feature. Whether you're wondering how to search for a photo in Google, looking for a beautiful view, or want to identify a dog breed… Google Lens will help you in your search 💪! You'll definitely appreciate its simple operation and speed 🥳. However, interpret search results quite carefully. Remember that robots and algorithms 🖥️ are responsible for presenting similar photos.
